Bengaluru: The UTT National Ranking Table Tennis Championships at the Kanteerava Indoor Stadium witnessed thrilling group-stage matches in the men’s and women’s singles events, with players taking crucial steps toward qualification. After two rounds of matches, the stage is set for the decisive third round later this evening, followed by the main draw and the allocation of the 16 seeded positions.
In the men’s singles, Harmeet Desai and Ankur Bhattacharjee have secured the top two seed positions, affirming their dominance and consistency. Similarly, in the women’s singles, Sutirtha Mukherjee and Swastika Ghosh have locked the first two spots, showcasing their prowess on the national stage. The remaining seeded positions, however, could involve ties and will be resolved through a draw of lots, adding an element of anticipation.
The women’s singles category provided intense and closely contested matches. Karnataka’s Vedhalakshi Devi gave seasoned PSPB paddler Pooja Sahasrabudhe a major scare. After taking a commanding 2-0 lead, Pooja appeared set for an easy win. However, Vedhalakshi rallied impressively, winning a tightly contested third game after deuce and dominating the fourth game with a stunning display of aggression. In the deciding fifth game, Pooja regained her composure to clinch a hard-fought 11-6, 11-4, 10-12, 4-11, 13-11 victory.
Similarly, Karnataka’s Preksha Tilawat showcased remarkable grit in her match against Haryana’s Sneha Bhowmick. After falling behind 1-2, Preksha dug deep, winning the final two games, including a tense decider after deuce to secure 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-7, 12-10 triumph.
Another standout performance came from Telangana’s Varuni Jaiswal, who displayed determination and resilience against West Bengal’s young talent, Sayani Panda. Despite trailing 1-2, Varuni turned the match around with precise shot-making and tactical play, eventually prevailing 11-7, 8-11, 5-11, 11-3, 11-9 to edge closer to qualification.
While less dramatic overall, the men’s singles group matches had their share of notable moments. Telangana’s Keval Kumar Makwana pulled off an upset against Bank of India’s Abhishek Yadav, defeating the left-hander 12-14, 11-2, 7-11, 9-11. Abhishek’s inability to capitalize on his opportunities in the first game proved costly as Keval, despite losing the second game, rallied strongly in the third and fourth games to secure a memorable victory.
West Bengal’s Aniket Sen Choudhury displayed skill and composure in his match against Assam’s Raunak Kar. After dropping the second game, Aniket showcased his experience, dominating the next two games to win 11-6, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5.
Karnataka’s Vibhas Venkatesh, too, showed promise in his encounter with IA&AD’s experienced campaigner Dhairya Parmar. After recovering from a lacklustre first game to level the match, Vibhas gave his opponent a tough fight. However, Dhairya’s tactical acumen and experience prevailed, allowing him to win the extended fourth game on his third match point and seal a 3-1 victory.
In another match, Punjab’s Rahul Malik survived a spirited challenge from Karnataka’s Pradeep Kumar Vijay. After winning the first two games, Rahul faced a determined comeback from Pradeep, who saved four match points to take the third game 16-14. However, Rahul regrouped in the fourth game, wrapping up the match with a commanding performance.
As the day progresses, the final round of group matches will determine the qualifiers for the second stage. By the end of the evening, a clear picture of the main draw participants will emerge, setting the stage for an exciting knockout phase in both the men’s and women’s singles events.
